1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pivotal device for a frameless glass door, and more particularly to a pivotal device assures stable, smooth pivotal movements for a frameless glass door.
2. Description of the Related Art
Decoration and arrangement of furniture means the taste of living, and the trend is to provide a nature feeling. To meet this end, glass doors are designed to be frameless and are widely used in corridors, halls, and even bathrooms to represent a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing appearance by the material of the glass doors and/or paintings thereon. Nevertheless, the doors, regardless of their material, must be openable. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a conventional pivotal device for a frameless glass door. The pivotal device 1 comprises a fixing plate 11 that includes holes 111 so as to be screwed to a wall. A box 12 is securely mounted to the fixing plate 11 by means of extending screws 125 through holes 112 in the fixing plate 11 into an interior of the box 12. The box 12 includes a horizontal space 121 and a vertical space 122 communicated with the horizontal space 121. Two horizontal pegs 120 are mounted in the horizontal space 121 and each includes a stem 126 and an enlarged head 123. A spring 124 is mounted around the stem 126 of each peg 120. A vertical pivot pin 13 is mounted in the vertical space 122 of the box 12 and in contact with the enlarged heads 123 of the pegs 120.
Two U-shape outer plates 14 and 15 are provided outside the box 12 and thus sandwich the box 12. Screws 144 are extended through holes 151 in plate 15 and into screw holes 145 in a U-shape rib 142 on a side of plate 14. Two limbs 141 of the U-shape rib 142 include aligned grooves 143 for receiving two ends 133 of the pivot pin 13, respectively. Each end 133 of the pivot pin 13 includes two opposite flat surfaces 134 and two opposite arcuate surfaces 135. The mediate portion of the pivot pin 13 also includes two opposite flat surfaces 131 and two opposite arcuate surfaces 132. The box 12 is received in the central cutouts (not labeled) of the U-shape outer plates 14 and 15 to allow relative pivotal movements therebetween. A U-shape two-layer gasket made from elastomeric material is securely sandwiched between the outer plates 14 and 15. As illustrated in FIG. 2, an edge of a glass door 3 is held between two layers 147 and 148 of elastomeric material. A screw 145 is extended through a screw hole 146 in each limb 141 of the U-shape rib 142 to bear against an associated flat surface 134 of the pivot pin 13. Thus, the glass door 3 and the outer plates 14 and 15 can be pivoted relative to the box 12 about a pivotal axis of the pivot pin 13. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the enlarged head 123 of each peg 120 is pressed against by either the flat surface 131 or the arcuate surface 132 of the pivot pin 13. However, the enlarged heads 123 of the pegs 120 are twisted during a transition movement between the arcuate surface 132 and the flat surface 131. It was found that movements of the pegs 120 are unstable under the twisting effect and the pivotal movements are not smooth, since the pegs 120 are separate from each other and the contact surface area between the enlarged heads 123 of the pegs 120 and the flat surface 131 (or the arcuate surface 132) is small.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a pivotal device that assures stable, smooth pivotal movements for a frameless glass door.
A pivotal device for a frameless glass door in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a fixing plate adapted to be fixed to a wall;
a box securely attached to the fixing plate and including a horizontal space and a vertical space communicated with the horizontal space;
a follower slidably mounted in the horizontal space of the box and including a first side facing the vertical space and a second side facing away from the vertical space, two stubs projecting from the second side of the follower, a spring being mounted around each said stub and having an end attached to the fixing plate;
a first outer plate and a second outer plate mounted to two sides of the box, the first outer plate and the second outer plate being secured together and sandwiching the box and being pivotable relative to the box, the first outer plate including a U-shape rib having two limbs, each said limb including a groove;
a pivot pin pivotally mounted in the vertical space of the box, the pivot pin including two ends and a mediate portion, the mediate portion including two opposite flat surfaces and two opposite arcuate surfaces, each said end of the pivot pin being received in the groove of an associated said limb of the U-shape rib and including two opposite flat surfaces and two opposite arcuate surfaces;
a gasket securely sandwiched between the first outer plate and the second outer plate to move therewith, the gasket including a portion adapted to securely engage with an edge of a frameless glass door;
wherein the first side of the follower is pressed against by one of the flat surfaces and the arcuate surfaces of the mediate portion of the pivot pin during pivotal movement of the first outer plate, the second outer plate, and the gasket relative to the box.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.